The character in my today's painting means "flower". It is in the "Cao" style of the calligraphy. This kind of writing has became a pure art form and it is so much deviated from everyday writing. I painted a rose to go with it.
These a couple of weeks after I came back from San Francisco, I spent most of my time trying to improve my figure work. On the foundation I established at AAU I worked on anatomy and human structure seriously, practiced with oil and charcoal. I am really trying to bring my figure work into a level so I can feel comfortable to show my figure paintings to the public. However, I have not reached the goal I want. The only conclusion I got so far is that the learning curve of the figure painting is MUCH longer than I thought. Keep improving is my only choice. Many people wrote to me: "Qiang, you are too hard on yourself, and you figure work is good enough". Well, to be honest with you, I don't think so.
You may have this kind of experience: you joined a local life drawing group, drawing (or painting) figure every week. Many years have passed, but you still doing almost the same, Hardly can tell the difference of the work of yesterday and of two years ago. One of the artist in the same group comes to you and told you that he has been drawing with the group for 35 years, but you look at his work. You see immediately what is wrong. The hand is too large, and the shoulder is not right. Even a 3-year old can see that. Then you take workshops from top notch artists, but very soon after, you will draw or paint the same way as before.... What I want to say here is: there is big problem of art practice, and there is a big problem of art learning. I also want to say: all of those problems are solvable, and it does not do anything with if we are talented or not.
